Mary Ross | Site Director
With Election Day a little over a month away, it’s important to understand different political ideologies. By understanding different political ideologies and by reflecting on your own morals and beliefs, you are able to vote for different candidates or parties as to be in line with your morals. Below are some highly recommended books about political ideology to give you a start in understanding them.
The Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater
Goldwater’s The Conscience of a Conservative shows the differences between the right and left in American politics before framing traditional Conservative thought. It covers topics such as education, labor unions, social welfare and more. Though written in 1960, this book has continued to inspire political commentary.
For the audio book, click here.
For more reading like this, Jeff Flake’s 2017 book entitled Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle is a book that builds upon Goldwater’s book and brings more modern ideas from the Republican Party into consideration.
Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think by George Lakoff
George Lakoff’s 1996 book Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think argues that conservatives and liberals have different ideas of morality, which account for their differences in ideology. After explaining both sides using cognitive linguistics, Lakoff argues that there is no way to have an objective study of politics due to a person’s own political ideology to be based off subjective morality, or one person’s own idea of morality.
The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality by Bhaskar Sunkara
Sunkara’s 2019 book dives into the basics of modern socialist ideology and advocates for the ideology as the only way to move forward. He discusses how right now, this world is drowning in wealth inequality and economic crises, but argues that socialists can win better wages, create democratic workplaces and communities, and create opportunities for better housing for all people. One reviewer from Verso Books wrote in his review that “Sunkara’s book is crucial for obliterating the myths and propaganda that have often drowned socialism, and instead illuminating its genuine virtues.”
What It Means to Be a Democrat by George S. McGovern
McGovern’s What It Means to Be a Democrat provides an analysis of what being a Democrat means as he feels Democratic politicians have lost sight of the basis ideals of the Democrat ideology. McGovern, who has extensive background in politics and military life, used his life and expertise to discuss a wide range of topics including military spending and education reform. He also describes his vision for the future of the Democratic Party and how to work toward becoming that party that all Democrats can be proud of.
Mary Ross is a third-year English major at BGSU. She enjoys all types of books, with a special love for historical fiction, poetry and Mitch Albom’s books. When she is not reading, you can find her taking care of her plants, writing content to hopefully publish her own book one day, or studying for her classes, always with a coffee nearby. Any questions about her thoughts or opinions in these blog posts can be sent to her email, mkross@bgsu.edu.
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